Tread Lightly!

From MeritBadgeDotOrg

Tread Lightly! is a nonprofit organization in the United States with the mission "to empower generations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly through stewardship to further the goals of responsible and ethical recreation. Tread Lightly! was started by the United States Forest Service in 1985 as a public awareness program.[4][5] In 1990, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Tread Lightly! became a nonprofit organization. The organization is "managed and financed by companies like Ford Motor and Toyota." It leads awareness workshops and restores trails: "Our mission is to empower people to enjoy the outdoors responsibly," said Executive Director Lori McCullough. The Washington Times noted in 2001 that "most manufacturers of off-highway vehicles — including Land Rover, Jeep, Subaru, GM, Ford and Toyota are active in this effort."

McCullough told the Associated Press in July 2003 that the organization "has been working with auto manufacturers to try to change the off-road images used in TV commercials" and that "Toyota, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz have asked Tread Lightly to review their ads, and at least one company spiked a TV spot the organization didn't like."

Tread Principles

Travel Responsibly on land by staying on designated roads, trails and area. Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Cross streams only at designated fords. when possible, avoid wet, muddy trails. On water, stay on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.

Respect the Rights of Others including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undsiturbed. Leave gates as you found them. Yield rightof way to those passing your or going uphill. On water, respect anglers, swimmers, skiers, boaters, divers and those on or near shore.

Educate Yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip, take recreation skills classes and know how to operate your equipment safely.

Avoid Sensitive Areas on land such as meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. Don’t disturb historical, archeological or paleontological sites. On water, avoid operating your watercraft in shallow waters or near shorelines at high speeds.

Do Your Part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and repairing degraded areas.